Protective apparatus for banks



v A. E. BERGQUIST PROTECTIVE APPARATUS FOR BANKS Filed Sept. 50, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Al ORNEY 1 646 344 Ci,- 18, 1927. A. E. BERGQUIST 9 9 PROTECTIVE APPARATUS FOR BANKS Filed Sept. 30, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N VENTOR Patented Oct. 18, 1927.

UNITED sr'rss PAT r or PROTECTIIT E APPARATUS FOR (BANKS.

Application filed. September 30, 1925. Serial No. 59,704.

This invention relates'to protective systems and devices for use in banks or other places where valuables are handled, the sys tem involving the utilization of apparatus including a tear gas bomb which w ll be set off in the event that a would-be robber moves a decoy stack or bundle of coin or currency, as preferred, the movement of the decoy acting to close an electric circuit for setting off the bomb.

Another object of the invention is to pro? vide an apparatus of this character embodying a peculiarly constructed bomb. adapted to be'set off or exploded upon passage of an electric current therethrough.

Still another object is, the provision of an apparatus of this character embodying a peculiarly constructed, mounted and arranged circuit closer normally held inoperative by the weight of the decoy so that the bomb will not'be set off unlessthe decoy be disturbed as would of course happen in.

the event of a holdu An additional object of the invention is to provide a system and apparatus of thischaracter which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture-and installation,-positive and automatic in action, efficient in service and a general"improvement in the art.

\Vith the above and other objects and ad vantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more. fully described and claimed, and

illustratedin the accompanying drawings, in

which Figure 1 is a vertical section through a. portion of a tellers cage or the like showing the invention in applied position.

Figure 2 is a diagram of the electric circuit.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the circuit closer.

Figure 4 is a detail in cross section taken on the line 41 of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section, of the tear gas bomb.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the letter A designates a portion of a bank building or the like, more particularly a cage which may be provided for a teller, cashier or other person having occasion to handle valuables. The letter B designates a portion of the wall having a window opening 0 protected by the usual grille D, and E represents the shelf along which m n y and other valuables are'passed beneath the grille D. While this particular structure is.

illustrated it should of course be understood that there is absolutely no restriction in this respect as the mechanism to be described may be installed at other places in a bank building or the like or in a store, warehouse or in fact any place Where it is desired to protect against the efforts of burglars or robbers.

In carrying out the invention, I; provide a suitable support 10 which maybe mounted upon the wall B or at other desired place and which carries a'socket 11 of ordinary type Within which isscrewed or otherwise mounteda tear gas bomb designated generally by thenumeral l2, which bomb is made to resemble an ordinary incandescent lamp .in order to avoid attract-ing undue attention and consequently'giving a Warning to a robher or burglar that there is sometliingunusual about it.

While the construction. of this tear gas bomb may be varied within wide limits, I

have shown it as comprising a threaded base 13 adapted ,to bescrewed into the socket 11 andcairying a glass envelope 14 of relatively large size within Which is located a bulb or smaller envelope containing spaced electrodes 16 and 17 defining a spark gap 18. The inner bulb or envelope is filled with some suitable explosive gas while the space between the inner and outer bulbs or envelopes is filled with tear The construction is, in fact, such that when an electric current is passed through the electrodes or conductors 16 and '17 it will jump the gap 18 and provide a spark which will ignite the explosive gas Within the small envelope or bulb 15 and consequently shatter it and the o-uter'bulb so that the tear gas will be liberated into the atmosphere.

In connection with the bomb, I provide a circuit closer which may be mounted upon the shelf E or any other equivalent support. In order to provide means for mounting the circuit closer in an inconspicuous manner, the shelf or other support E is formed with a recess 19 within which is located a board or other movable member 20 hinged or pivoted at one end as shown at 21 and having its other end carrying a spring contact 22 preferably insulated from the member 20 by a block of insulation 23. A. coil spring 24 is located Within the recess and upwardly. insulated from the shelf or other support E by a suitable block of insulation indicated at is a stationary contact 26 disposed in the path of movement of the contact 22. It is preferable that the contact 26 be duplicated or in other words that two of them be pro-- vided adapted to be engaged and bridged by the contact 22 for closing a circuit through the bomb. It is intended that the upwardly spring pressed member 20 be held form. When this decoy is in place upon,

the member 20, it is obvious that the spring .24: will be compressed and the contact 22 will be out of engagementwith the contacts 26.

In installing the device, use is made oi a suitable source of current 28 which might be a battery or which may be the electric light feed lines for the building. One terminal of this source of current is connected by a conductor 29 with one terminal in the socket 11 for thebomb, and the other ter minal of the source of current has connected therewith a conductor 30 leading to one of the contacts 26. The other contact 26 has connected therewith a conductor 31 leading to the other terminal of the socket 11 for the bomb. As an additional control means, use may be made of any desired number of switches 32 of any preferred type located at various points within the building and connected in parallel with the switch defined by the contacts 26 and contact 22 and intended for manual manipulation for clos-' ing the circuit through the bomb.

\ In the operation of the "device, it is of course apparent that the weight of/the decoy stack of money, package of currency or the likewill operate to hold the member 20 depressed with the circuit to the "bomb broken. In case of a holdup, it is of course possible that one of the clerks or other employees' may reach one of the manually controlled-switches 32 and close the circuit for exploding the bomb. However, especially at night in case of a burglary, it would be improbable or maybe impossible for the cir- Mounted within the recess and cuit to be closed manually In this event, it is [quite likely that the robber or burglar seeing the decoy stack of money would quite naturally remove the same. and just as soon tear gas or the like contained therein will be ditfused through the atmosphere and will drive off the robbers or burglars. It is possible that a certain gas might be used which would incapacitate. any burglar so that he might be easily taken into custody. It is believed that the construction, operation and' advantages will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art without further explanation.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it

should be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, 1'

claim V 1. In a protective device of the character described, an explosive bomb located at a point to be protected, said bomb being in a disguised form containing a disabling gas, a circuit including a source of current connected with the bomb, a circuit closer interposed in the circuit at a protectedpoint, and a weighted decoy at the protected point normally acting upon the circuit closer to maintain the circuit open.

2. In a protective system of the character described, an explosive bomb to disable a holdup man located at a point outside the cashiers window containing tear gas, a spark gap within the bomb, an electric circuit including a source of current and adapted to produce a spark across the gap, and a circuit closer normally depressed by a weighted decoy within the cashiers cage and means for closing the circuit.

In testimony whereof I ailix no signature.

' ARTHUR E. BER QUEST. 

